Lock for sliding doors



J. C. FRITTS.' LooK FoR sLlDlNG noRs.

APPLlCATION FILED SEPT. 6| 1921.

L4225846. l Patented July '18, 1922.

LOCK FOR SLIDING`DOORS.

Application led September 6, 1921.

To all fic/z om t may concern Be it known that l, JAMES C. Fnrrrs,` a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Scranton. county of Lackawanna, and State of' Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks for Sliding Doors. of which the following is a specification. and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to a lock especially adapted for use on the sliding doors of box cars; its obj eet being to provide a loc-k which cannot be released without such diiiiculty that it will eifec-tually prevent Vpilfering from cars to which it is applied, and it consists of a structure such as is hereinafter described.

This application is a continuation in part of my former application Serial No. 475,331, filed J une 6. 1921, and is a substitute therefor. f

r1n the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a Vdetail side elevation ot a car doorand sill with the lock applied thereto;

, Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detail sections taken on Vthe line 1-4of Fig. 1, the locking -bolt being shown in different positions in the two `figures; and y Fig. 6 is afdetail plan section on line 6 6 of 1.

'A side sill of a car is represented at 10,the car floor at 11, and the car door at 12. The 4car door is of the usual sliding type and may be mounted and guided in accordance with present practice. As here shown a short chain 114:. is fastened at one end to the lower part of the car door, asat 4-5, and at its other end to a ring 46 which slides on a rod l17 parallel to the side sill 10, and bolted thereto, as at 48. The chain and rod may be used instead of the customary lower guides. y y p y The lock comprises a easing 13, preferably of cast metal and havinga base ange 14 through which attaching bolts, as 15, 16,

maybe passed, and at its bottom being provided withy an outstanding ange 17, which constitutesthe face plate of `the lock and is apertured at 18 to .permit the projection of the bolt. Bolt 19 is housed loosely within the casing 13, and when not in service .is

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1922. serial No. 498,617.

entirely Withdrawn tliereinto and is tilted,

as shown in Fig. 1, its lower end resting upon the flange 17 at one side of the aperture 18. This bolt is provided with a head 2U oi greater size than the aperture 18. A slot may be formed in the front wall of the casing 13 to permit the insertion of the operators finger. or some instrument. such as a small rod, for movingthe bolt into vertical position and bringing its lower end in alignment with the aperture v18. is a vertical slot 21 for this purpose, and also a slot 22 across the lower margin of the front face of the casing. The latter slot serves the additional purpose of permitting the escape of any dust or dirt which might accumulate within the casing.

The keeper comprises an outstanding flange 23, having a wall plate 24 which may he secured to the ear sill. as by means of tous 26. indie-ated at 27. this aperture coming into alignment with the aperture 18 of the casing when the door is in locking position. i

In order to lock the door the bolt 19 is straightened up to permit it to through the apertures 18 and 27. A key element 28 is then secured to the lower end of the bolt below the flange 23. As shown .in Fig. 2, and at the left in Fig. 1, this key The flange 23 is apertured, asv

As shown, there drop f may be in the form of a heavy eotterwhich may be thrust through a suitable slot in the bolt and then bentaround Athe shaft thereof, making an obstruction vwhich is larger than the aperture 27.

In order to release the lock the key must be removed. By using a cotter or split key of' the `kind' named removal is rendered diiiicult, not only because of the stiffness of the key but particularly because the bolt is loose within the casing and keeper apertures, and the use ofa chisel for destroying the key is a laborious operation which cannot be performed readily without creating a great deal of noise.

In order to cut with a hack saw, it is desirable to lap the iiange 17 of the casing 13 over the edge of the outstanding flange 23 of the keeper, as at 30.

prevent the bolt 19 being.,

Preferably the casing 1 3 is made with two compartments, each housing a bolt, and the be doubled. A further advantage in having a keeper provided with na plurality of apertures is found in the fact that it permits of the locking of the door when not completely closed, thus providing a ventilating opening around the forward edge of the door which, nevertheless, is not of suiiicient size to permit access to the interior of the car. The casing 13 may be provided with apertures in its rear wall, as indicated by dotted lines at 29, to permitthe insertion of the bolts before the casing is applied to the door.

As it is possible that a' cotteror split key may be removed with proper tools, the split ke -may be applied to one side only vof the ouble casing and an added feature yapplied to the other side. Y

'As shown at the right in Fig. 1 and in Figs. 3, Lland 5, the outstanding dance 23 of the keeper is provided wi 'h' a ownwardly projecting lug 31, which may be an integral part of the casting of which the keeper" plate is formed. l portion of=this lug is directly below :the aligned boltapertures in the casing 13 and keeper plate 23, and a groovel -or recess 32 is cut into the` front face of the lug to permit the projection of the bolt 33. This bolt is identical with the bolt 19 on the left, and is similarly slotted at its forward end for the reception of a solid key 311.

An L-shaped'slot 35 is cut in the lug 31, the base 36 of the L extending completely-throughthe bottom of the'lug from front to rear, forming 4downwardly direct ed ears 37, 38, while the vertical slot portion 39 extends only part way into the lug. The key 34;, justv the thickness of the L-shaped slot, and having a head 40 larger than the laperture inl the bolt, is thrust into the bolt aperture, a portion i1y thereof projecting beyond the same (see Fig. 4). Turning of the bolt is prevented by its head, which is held between thev ears 37, 38. @fr limited vertical movement is permitted by reason ofthe slotted portion 39. The bolt is raised to the position shown in Fig. 4i., its head l() `4being so `shaped as to exactly itthe slot 89,andf to rest'againstthe-solid portion of rthellug 31.` The projecting end of the' key `mayvthen be riveted with a hammer, the lug'.SIservingas ananvil. The bolt is then dropped into lowered position. The "key canro'nly be'removed by cutting away :tiheriveted portion with hammer, chisel and Aligned slots 42 Iand 48' in the ianges 17 and 23, respectively, may also be vprovided 'fiforV the insertion of the customary lseal (notshown). -v

l'-'Ithas been found ekreedingly difficult to 'provide afsecure lock forvr box cars, and it "is wellfknown that the' loss of .lading 'by thievery' is :very large. "While the improved The Vi'iorwvard i lock herein described is not intended to be invulnerable,` it nevertheless interposes .an obstacle to the opening of the door which can be surmounted only with so much diiiiculty that it provides a reliable and trustworthy safeguard.

While operative and preferred forms of construction are herein shown and described, various changes of detail may be made. without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. A` lock for sliding doors comprising, 1n combination, a chambered casing having a bolt aperture in its face, a headed bolt loosely housed inthe casing and adapted when withdrawn to have its forward end out of alignment with `the aperture, a keeper having an. outstanding apertured ange, the aperture being adapted to register with the casing aperture, and a key member for attachment to the free end of the bolt when advanced through the keeper.

2. vA lock for sliding doors comprising, in combination, a chambered casingY adapted for attachment to theside face of a door and lhaving a'bolt apertureinv its face, and an opening in the front wall, a headed bolt looselyl housed within the casing and adapted when withdrawn to rest on the inner surface of the l,face plate and out of alignment with the aperture therein, a keeper having anoutstanding apertured iiange, the aperture being adapted to be mounted in front of the face plate of the casing and havwing a bolt hole for registering with the bolt aperture therein, and a key adapted to be inserted through an aperture in the forward end of the bolt and one end riveted over.

3. A lock for sliding doors comprising, in combinatiom'a chambered casing having a bolt aperturein its face, .a headed bolt loosely housed inthe casing and adapted f when withdrawn to have its lower end out of alignment with the aperture, a keeper having an outstandingl apertured `iiange, the aperture being adapted to register with the casing aperture, a lug secured to the ange below the aperture,v its front face being grooved in alignment with said apertures, and having an L-shaped slot in its lower portion, a headed key adapted to be inserted through thebase of the L and an aperture in thefforward end of'the'bolt and itsend upset.

. 4. A lock for sliding doors comprising, in combination, a chambers-d casing having a .bolt aperture in its face, a headed bolt loosely housed in the casing vand adapted when withdrawn to have itsV forwardv end out of alignment with the aperture, a keeper having an outstanding apertured flange, the

aperture being adapted to register with the. `4`casing aperture, a lug secured to the flange below the apertures, its front-"face being grooved in alignment with said apertures and having a vertical slot in rear of the groove, a pair ot downwardly directed ears extending from the lower portion of the lug, a headed key adapted to be inserted between said ears and through an aperture in the end of the bolt and its end upset.

5. A lock tor sliding doors comprising, in combination, a chambered casing adapted for attachment to the side tace of a door, and having a bolt ape-rture in its tace, a headed bolt loosely housed within the casing and adapted when withdrawn to rest on the inner surface of the tace plate and out oi? alignment with the aperture therein, a keeper comprising an apertured plate adapted to be mounted in front of the tace plate et the keeper and having a bolt hole for registering with the bolt aperturetherein, a llange on the face plate adapted to overlap the keeper plate, and a key adapted to be inserted through an aperture in the forward end ot the bolt and the projecting end ot' the key u set.

6. A lock for s iding doors comprising, in combination. a chambered easing adapted lor attachment to the sideface of a door, and having a bolt aperture in its face and an opening in the front wall, a headed bolt loosely housed within the casing and adapted when withdrawn te rest on the inner sur-l face of the Jface plate and out of alignment with the aperture therein, a keepe-r having an outstanding' a-pertured Flange, the aperture being adapted to be mounted in front et the face plate of the casing and having a belt hole for registering with the bolt aperture therein, a lug on the under side of said flange having a cut-away portion below and in rear of the bolt aperture, and a headed key adapted to be inserted through an aperture in the forward end of the bolt.

7. A lock for sliding doors comprising, in combination, a ehambered casing adapted for attachment to the side tace of a door, and having a bolt aperture in its face and an opening in the front wall, a headed bolt loosely housed within the casing and adapted when withdrawn to rest on the inner surtace of the face plate and out of alignment with the aperture therein, a keeper having an outstanding apertured flange, the aperture being adapted to be mounted in front of the face plate of the casing and having a bolt hole for registering with the bolt aperture therein, a lug on the under side or' said flange having a cut-away portion below and in rear ot the bolt aperture, and a headed key adapted to be inserted through an aperture in the forward end of the bolt and its end upset, said lug serving as an anvil against which the head of the bolt rests.

S. A lock for sliding doors comprising, in combination, a chambered easing having a bolt aperture in its face, a headed bolt loosely housed in the casing and adapted when withdrawn to have its forward end out of alignment with the aperture, the aperture being adapted to register with the casing aperture` both said apertures being substantially greater in size than the diameter of the bolt, and a heavy eotter for attachment to the tree end of the bolt when advanced through the keeper.

JAMES C. FRITTS. 

